Fairytale Ending?
by Surgery-Girl
Summary: She always wanted that fairytale ending. Up until she was eight, she thought maybe she’d get it. But when new additions are added to her “family” of two. She decides that fairytale endings… no such thing. MerMark. AU.
1. Thinking Back To Worse Times

_**Number 17 on this site. :) I'm not sure how many are in process but... oh well!! Hope you enjoy. **_

_**Summery: She always wanted that fairytale ending. Up until she was eight, she thought maybe she'd get it. But when new additions are added to her "family" of two. She decides that fairytale ending… no such thing. MerMark **_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Grey's. **_

**_Thinking Back To Worse Times_**

_Ever since I was a little girl, I've dreamed about Prince Charming and a happy ever after. I would dream about it at night. Until I turned eight and all hope for Prince Charming and a fairy tale life died when my mother remarried to Jonathon Montgomery. My step-father pretended to like me until he found out how disinterested in my life my mother was. Then, I became just some kid who lived in his house and passed the mashed potatoes at dinner time whose name half the time he couldn't remember. My "more beautiful" step-sister stole whatever piece of the dimming spotlight I had to my name stealing whatever time my mother ever even thought about giving me. She was the beautiful girl that all through school was the envy of all the girls, and I was the chick with the pink hair. She could have everyone and anyone she wanted. All through school she barely had to lift a finger and yet she had the other students, her teachers, and anyone wrapped around her manicured fingers. While I sat in the back off the class in my own depressed and twisted world. While I worked my ass off for a perfect 4.0 GPA, she was the cheerleading captain. While every guy checked out her chest and fell over themselves to talk to her, I was the short, thin, pink haired girl with a flat chest. My fairytale got even more distant when my mother had our half-sister. The baby of the family. The cute one. The one who sucked me dry of the last ounce of attention that my mother had for me. I didn't hold any grudges against her though. Growing up, she was the person I got along best. While my step-sister and I were having screaming matches that would be ended by my step-father by siding with Addison, Sarah was there to tell me I was right. Though she was eleven years younger than I and at the time would have been only four years old, it felt good for someone to tell me that. She was the one who asked me how my day was while my mother and step-father were busy praising Addison for every move she made. Soon enough, it all started catching up to me and the fantasy of a fairytale turned into the fantasy of being notice. As I got into my upper teens and my sophomore year, I began acting out. Coming home late. Highlighting my already pink hair with green. Making sure that my behavior rebelled so much against what my mother and step-father said that they had no choice but to pay attention until one day my mother walked into my room slapping a plane ticket and a boarding school brochure in front of my face. She hadn't said a word just turned and walked out. I spent that whole night pleading with her not to make me go, but of course she didn't care. Two years later, I graduated over a thousand miles away from my step-sister's school. Nobody bother to come and watch me walk across the stage graduating top of my class. Of course, Sarah called and congratulated me, but no call from my mother. It wasn't until a week later that I got a ten minute phone call inviting me home. With no where to go, I dumbly accepted. _


	2. Home Again

Getting off the plane, she looked around for a familiar face unsure who was coming to pick her up. Pulling her cell phone out of her pocket, she turned it on noticing one message from her mother.

"Meredith, I had to scrub in, so take a cab back to the house." That was it. No 'goodbye'. No 'hope you had a good flight'. No 'I love you'. Running her hand through her now natural sandy colored hair, she let out a frustrated sigh before walking out to get a cab. Over the last two years, she had changed. People started looking at her for once. She had grown her hair out to the natural color. Her figure had come in and she didn't have a flat chest. She lost her rebel behavior and it was replaced with mature behavior. Her need to be notice diminished, but years of being forgotten took a toll on her self-esteem. Things changed and she decided early on that she had to change with them.

The car made its way through town towards the house where she had spent some of the worse moments of her life. The driver kept looking back and checking her out causing her to roll her eyes. They eventually pulled in front of the big white brick house that she had grown up in. It looked the same as it had two years ago when the car was driving away from the house.

"Thanks." She gave him a smile as she paid her fare.

"Anytime, Doll face." He said grossing her out slightly as the old man licked his lips. Stepping back onto the curb, she allowed the man to drive away. Looking down the street, she noticed the slightest differences in everything. It was different then what she had grown accustomed to in California where the sun could beat down on you for five minutes and give you a tan. But the Boston sun was covered with a thin layer of clouds that barely phased her tan skin.

"Mer!" She heard her younger sister squeal as the front door flew open.

She turned over smiling brightly as her small nine year old sister charged across the yard at her. Her small arms wrapped around her stomach as the little girl lunged at her nearly knocking her over.

"Hey Sarah." She hugged her tightly.

"Wow, Mer. You've changed." Meredith let out a giggled as she walked around her giving her a nod. "You look hot!"

"You've been hanging around Addison a little too much." Meredith laughed picking up her luggage.

"Nah." Sarah shrugged picking up Meredith's laptop bag. "She's busy with her boyfriend."

Meredith rolled her eyes at the memory of the guys falling all over Addison. "What's this one's name?"

"Derek something or other." Sarah shrugged shutting the door behind her.

"Let me guess Mom's at the hospital, John is at the office, Addison's 'out', and you've been home alone for how long?"

"Only an hour." She shrugged.

"Some things never change."

"Come on; let's bring this stuff up to your room."

"You just want your present." Meredith laughed.

"You know me so well."

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"There." Meredith said smiling at Sarah as she reached up and touched the necklace that hung around her neck.

"Thank you, Meredith." She squealed as she once again lunged at her.

"Your welcome, Sarah-Bear…a."

Sarah rolled her eyes at the nickname but let it pass as she looked at the other presents that sat in front of her. Meredith walked over to her desk putting her phone down before coming back over. Sitting down with her feet tucked under her she looked at her little sister.

"You're going to a fifth grader in a week. How does it feel?" Meredith asked in her 'reporter voice.' Sarah rolled her eyes as a few giggles escaped.

"I'm leaving the fourth grade not starting the fifth."

"You're still counted a fifth grader in my book." Sarah shook her head standing up to look in the mirror. "God, you're getting so big."

"Don't get all Hallmark on me." Sarah said turning towards her. Meredith laughed.

"You've definitely grown up…So, when is Addison's graduation?"

"Saturday."

"And we're going?"

"Yep. Mom and Dad said so."

"Well, they already shunned me from the family. What more can they do to me if I don't go?"


	3. Fight

They heard the door shut and voices downstairs. Sarah rolled her eyes causing Meredith to raise an eyebrow at her.

"Addison and her boyfriend." She answered. "They just walk around making out."

Meredith shook her head. "What to go crash their party?"

An evil smirk grew on Sarah's face as she nodded. Getting to the door first, she allowed Sarah to take lead down the stairs and followed close behind. Glancing around the corner into the living room, she could see Addison straddling Darren or whatever his name was in full lip lock. She glanced at her sister who was rolling her eyes. Meredith gestured for her to head back up the stairs. Taking the second staircase that put them in the main hall, Meredith grabbed her arm to stop her.

"We'll walk in. Stand there for a second. Then you clear your throat, okay?" She whispered. Sarah nodded before walking into the room as quiet as possible with Meredith in tow. Following the plan, she waited a second before clearing her throat. Addison jumped up her eyes meeting the two people in front of her. Meredith crossed her arms across her chest as did Sarah as Daniel tilted his head back to look.

"I think I'm a little young for that… don't you think, Derek?" Blinking her eyes innocently, she put on the best face she could. Meredith had to strain not to laugh. "I'm going to be emotionally scarred and afraid of men for the rest of my life because at the age of nine I witnessed my sister practically being eaten alive on my couch." She let out a fake whimper causing Derek to turn pink in embarrassment.

"Shut up, Sarah." Addison hissed. "Who are you?" She looked at Meredith. Meredith couldn't help but let out a laugh.

"Now, I know how shallow you are." Meredith laughed walking into the kitchen. Sarah shook her head.

"Smooth move." She smirked and walked after Meredith.

"Meredith? Is that you?" Addison said following them.

"Wow! You remembered my name. Do you want my to bow down and kiss you feet?"

"You look different."

"You noticed?" She pretended to chock up. "I feel special now."

Addison rolled her eyes. "Stop that."

"What do you want from me? You never cared about me. The only one in my "family" who bothered to call me on my birthday, Christmas, Thanksgiving, or anything was Shara. So why should I not be surprised that you notice I was here or even cared."

Addison sighed. "I know we haven't been close in the past…"

"Go back to your boyfriend, Addison. I don't want to hear your excuses about why we haven't gotten along in the past. I know it's because I was the skinny girl with the pink hair and no boobs. I got it, okay? You didn't want your image damaged. Whatever. Fine."

"Meredith, that has nothing to do with it."

"Then what was it? Did I do something to tick you off? Did I ruin your life? What was it, Addison? Cause I have no clue." She brushed past her.

She walked into the living room as Meredith ran up the stairs.

"Derek…" She sighed rubbing her head.

"Go ahead." He said turning on the TV.

"Thanks." She ran up the stairs after her. "Meredith! Meredith, please, listen."

"Why should I?" She yelled from her room as Addison pushed the door open.

"We're sisters."

"Since when?"

"Since ten years ago."

"Oh you mean you were my sister when you blew me off freshmen and sophomore year. All the times, you pretended not to know me let alone be my step-sister. So what time would be referring to?"

"I know that I was…"

"I don't want to talk to you right now."

"Meredith…"

"Just go!" She yelled as she flopped down on the bed. Addison nodded letting out a sigh before walking out.


	4. Disowned

She decided to head out to clear her head of her fight with Addison. So many thoughts went through her head as she drove one of her mother's extra cars through the city. Pulling into a parking space in front of a dress shop, she got out locking the car before walking into the store. A woman smiled at her from behind the counter. Meredith gave her a short smiled back before heading over to a rack.

Shopping wasn't on her list of the most fun thing to do, but she needed a dress for Addison's graduation taking place in a week. Absent-mindedly, she searched through a rack two times before continuing on. She remembered the first time she met Addison. Everyone told her how great they would get along since they were only a couple months apart in age. They were so wrong. They fought a lot and until she went away to the school in California, they were always at each other's throats.

She looked at a black dress as a thought crossed her mind. All over the people who she knew when she was at Dale High School with Addison would be at the graduation including her pretty much only friend she ever had at the school. Christina Yang. She was a hard-ass but they had been close friends from seventh grade until Meredith left. They kept in contact until the end of their junior year while Meredith was rejecting any phone calls except Christina's or Sarah's. But by the time senior year rolled around, they lost contact. She wasn't sure if it would be bitter between the two or if it would be like old times.

She pulled a couple dressed from the rack and headed into the fitting rooms. Pulling the zipper up the first dress she looked in the mirror. Shaking her head at the wide strapped dress, she slipped it off and continued. Too conservative. Too serious. Too sexy. Too childish. Letting out a sigh, she pulled on another black dress and looked in the mirror. It was simple. Not too over the top. A small smile crept across her face as she straightened it around her hips.

"Perfect." She sighed changing back into her clothes before heading out to check-out.

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"Sarah!" She yelled as she walked into the house. "Sarah? You home?"

Her young sister came bouncing. "Hey. What's in the bag?"

"A dress for the graduation." She answered. "I'll be right back."

She carried it upstairs and laid it down on her bed before returning down the stairs. Sarah had disappeared into the kitchen again, so Meredith headed in there. Addison and Derek were eating sandwiches and Sarah was on the counter trying to get a bowl down. Rolling her eyes, Meredith walked over.

"Let me help you." She said lifting her down before standing on her tiptoes to get down a bowl. "What are you eating?"

"Cereal." Sarah answered.

"How about we go out and get something to eat?"

"Yeah!" Sarah said running out.

"Couldn't you have helped her?"

Addison and Derek looked up. "She does it all the time." She answered.

Rolling her eyes, she put her long hair up in ponytail.

"You look familiar." Derek said. Meredith didn't bother to answer. "A picture maybe."

"I doubt my 'family' would have any pictures of their black sheep."

"Meredith…" Addison sighed.

"I don't really care. I'm only hear for a few weeks. Then I'm going back to California and you can go back to pretending you don't have the ugly step-sister."

"Meredith. Hmm…" Derek thought. "Pink hair!" He almost yelled.

"That would be me." Meredith answered.

"Wow, you've changed." Derek said.

"I have no clue who you are." Meredith said.

"We were only in class together for a half a year."

"Wow, I don't care." Meredith mimicked him.

"Meredith." Addison hissed.

"I'm pretty sure your precious boyfriend had thick enough skin to handle it, Addison."

"I didn't know she was your step-sister." Derek commented.

"No, you wouldn't. See Addison was embarrassed of me, so like the rest of my family, except Sarah, she disowned me."

With that she walked out.


	5. Blame

The door was locked. She could hear her family having 'family' moments downstairs. It disgusted her sometimes. She worked her ass off to get into Stanford for medical school and her family barely gives her a second glance. If Addison lifts a finger for anything, she gets praised. She gets accepted to Dartmouth and they practically bow down to her handing her keys to a new car and a trip off to the Bahamas with her boyfriend. It's not like she didn't get luxurious thinks too if for no other reason than to keep her quiet and content so she didn't interfere with their lives. But even though her mother brought her a brand new convertible, a nice apartment near campus, and gave her thousands of dollars a month all the way through high school, all those luxuries couldn't replace the face she never had a family to support her. Her family disowned her and pretended that she was nothing more a check that needed to be filled out and cashed in a different account. She was nothing more than a monthly bill that needed to be paid. The only person who ever gave a damn for more than two seconds was her little sister, and you can't rely on a nine year old to fulfill all the things a family is supposed to do.

She got up and walked over to the desk that sat in her old room that was now a guest bed. All evidence of her had been wiped away at some point. She could remember the purple and black walls. Posters cover the doors and parts of the walls. Everything had been ripped and stripped away. She always used to wonder how her life would have been different if her real father had fought harder for her when she was young. What would have happened with her life? Where would she be now? Would see be so alone in a house full of people? Would she be going to a school thousands of miles away? And for those reasons, she despised her father for not coming to save her. She despised him for not caring enough to fight. She hated the fact that her mother didn't care. She hated the fact that the only person who would even notice if she were dead would be Shara. She hated the fact that nobody needed her. Nobody wanted her. Nobody loved her. Shara was the only person who gave a damn. But how much of that can you put on a nine-year-old girl? You can't blame someone and feel satisfied if they aren't even a little remorseful for what they've done. So when you can't blame anyone else, do you blame yourself for other's mistakes?

She slid down the wall as her jaw shook as tears began to fall. She could feel her face become red as tears soaked into the thin material of her shirt.

"What have I done to deserve this?" She mumbled.

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Hunger forced her out of her room. She walked down the stairs. Jonathon was asleep on the couch. His laptop open to some test results from what she could tell. He had aged since she had last seen him or at least from what she could remember. His hair was starting to bald and his mustache had grayed over a lot more than the hair on the top of his head. She didn't pay much attention though. He never liked her much and she wondered if he would even remember her name or that his wife even had another kid. It didn't matter much to her. She walked into the kitchen. Ellis was standing at the sink and turned when she heard footsteps. She looked different too. Her hair had gray in it, but it wasn't too bad. She hadn't seen Meredith since she had gotten home. Meredith was already locked up in her room.

"Meredith?" She said.

"Hi… Mom." She answered standing nervously against the wall.

"You changed your hair back?"

She subconsciously touched the ends of her hair and nodded. "Not long after I moved out there."

"Good. It looks… nice." She commented turning back to the sink. Meredith walked over to the fridge and found something to eat. "How's, um, school?"

"Good."

Conversations were more awkward than it probably should be between mother and daughter.

"Did you like that school?'

Meredith just shrugged. "I guess."

Silence fell between them for a few minutes as Meredith ate. Each trying to find words, but neither know what to say or how to say it, so they stayed silent. "I'm going to Stanford." She finally said.

"I know."

"I'm going to Stanford to become a doctor… and it never seems like enough. I'm just wondering… what do I need to do? Do I need to become Addison? Or is there just no chance for me to ever be a good enough daughter for you?"

Ellis was caught off guard and didn't know how to answer. Tears collected in her eyes.

"You know what? I should have already known the answer. You were always too busy praising Addison to ever see your own daughter." She stood up and walked out.


	6. Graduation

"Do you think I ever neglected Meredith?" She asked sitting in the bed with her husband.

"Who?" He asked putting the newspaper down as he turned off the light.

"Never mind." She muttered rolling onto her side.

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She woke up to Addison's frantic voice. Rolling her eyes, she moaned rolling onto her side. Her door flew open.

"Meredith!" Her high pitch squealing voice came.

She groaned. "It's too early, Addison."

Putting the pillow over her head, she tried to block out the voice.

"Meredith! Get up."

"Why?" She mumbled into her pillow. "It's not like you really want me there."

"I don't have time for this." She squealed in frustration before storming away.

Meredith slowly trudged out of bed and into the bathroom to shower.

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Addison came down in a dark blue dress with her gown and cap in hand. Ellis looked up and smiled faintly as she tied the back of Sarah's pink dress. Running a hand down the back of her hair, she looked around looking frustrated.

"What's wrong, Addi?" Jonathon asked.

"Nothing, Daddy." She smiled in a 'Daddy's little girl' kind of way. "Just nervous."

She kissed his cheek.

"You'll do great, Princess." He smiled back at her sipping his coffee.

Ellis straightened the white and black dress around her body as she stood up. Sarah twisted around looking down at the pink dress scrunching her nose up but didn't protest out loud. Meredith walked in wearing her black dress holding her heels in her hand. Everyone stopped and looked at her.

"Don't worry. I'm just getting a cup of coffee then you can pretend I'm not here and be all happy." She said walking to the cabinet. Addison and Jonathon didn't say anything. Ellis looked at the ground and Sarah looked at the rest of her family ashamed.

Taking the cup of coffee, she didn't bother to even look at them before walking across the living room and out the front door. Sarah followed her white shoes clicking against the hardwood.

"Hey." Meredith sighed, sitting down on the swing.

"You okay?"

She shrugged. "I'm fine."

Sarah sat next to her. "At least you don't have to wear this."

She lifted the puffed out skirt of her dress and gave it a disgusted look. Meredith giggled shaking her head as she took a long sip from her cup.

Leaning down she pulled on the black strapped heels.

"How do I look?" She asked spinning around.

"Hot."

Meredith giggled again.

"So are you staying three weeks?" She asked.

Meredith shrugged. "I don't know if I'll survive that long."

"Come on, Mer. Addison and Derek and their friend, Mark or something, will be leaving for the Bahamas in a week."

She sighed. "We'll see."

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She left early not wanting to drive with the proud parents or the over obsessing graduate. Sarah came with her and they pulled up in front of the school Meredith had once attended. She wondered who would be there or if anyone would recognize her. The ceremony was being held outside in the courtyard. Walking around back, she saw a makeshift stage set up. Plants were potted and sitting along the front and 2008 was written in large letters along the back side of the stage with lights poking through the sign lighting it up. People walked around in gowns and caps talking in small groups. She felt like an adult as she made her way down the aisle looking around trying to see what had changed. She could pick a few people out of the twenty or so people that were walking around through the chairs. Most of them being people she shared maybe one class with in the two years she had spent there. They didn't seem to notice her as she walked down towards the front and took a seat. More paying attention to the school and the area surrounding, she didn't notice when someone walked up to her.

"Meredith, right?" She was slightly startled at the sound of her name but hid it well. Looking passed him she saw a group of five following close behind.

"Yeah. Derek?"

"Yeah." He sat down in the row in front of her. His friends close by some of them blatantly checking her out. "Ah, Meredith this is Mark, Alex, Preston, Izzie, and George."

"Hey." They all said with some variation.

"Look, if you're looking for Addison. She's not here and I don't know when she'll be here." She said right off the back.

She noticed who she learned to be Mark checking out her chest but she was relatively used to it living in California.

"We'll just hang with you until Addison shows." Alex said. She rolled her eyes as her eyes scanned the crowed.

"You look familiar." Izzie observed.

"I didn't tell you?" Derek said. "It's Addi's stepsister. Remember the pink haired chick from sophomore year."

"You're Pink Hair?" Mark said.

"Okay, first off, my name is not Pink Hair or The Pink Hair Chick. It's Meredith and just because Addison is all glitz and glam and I'm the black sheep of the family doesn't mean you get to sit there and talk about me as if I were a freaking caveman or I'll make sure that you and your overly moosed hair don't see anymore than the inside of your ass for the next year of your little glamorous life." She said directing it towards Derek. "You don't get to freaking judge me and you don't get to pretend you know me because your tongue is halfway down my stepsister's throat."

The rest of the group said 'oh' and 'ouch' leaving Derek speechless.

"Meredith Grey?" A familiar voice came and Meredith smiled.

"Christina Yang?" She said turning around.

"Hey."

"Hey." Meredith smiled hugging her quickly. "Okay too much hugging." She make a grossed out face and the two laughed.


	7. You Cared More

"How are you?" Meredith asked smiling widely.

"Good." She shrugged.

"Where are you going to college?"

"Stanford."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously."

"So am I."

"For med school?"

"Yeah."

"I never expected Meredith Grey would follow in the footsteps of your mom."

"What makes you think I'm going into surgery?" Christina gave her a look.

"It might have been a while and you might not have pink hair anymore, but I know my person."

She giggled. "Yeah, I'm going into surgery."

"See I know you."

"And if I know you, you're going into surgery too."

"Well then we know each other pretty well."

"We could never hide anything from each other."

"Well, hey, I've got to get ready. But I'll see you after the ceremony."

"Good Luck." She smiled as her person walked away. She turned to look at the people watching her. "What?" She snapped.

"Meredith?" A voice came.

"What?" She groaned turning to look at Addison, Ellis, and Jonathon.

"Derek, Baby." Addison purred wrapping her arms around his neck.

Meredith rolled her eyes at the couple as they kissed.

"He's eating her again. He's eating her again." Sarah squealed causing Meredith to try not to laugh.

"Sarah!" Addison yelled. Sarah stuck out her tongue.

"Guys, sit down." Ellis ordered. Once again, Meredith rolled her eyes.

"All graduating seniors please report to the stage." A man said over the microphone.

"Daddy, it's really happening." Addison squealed jumping up and down.

"Daddy, it's really happening." Meredith mocked. Ellis and Jonathon glared at her as Ellis straightened her dress.

"This is a really big deal for her." Ellis said.

"Oh yes, cause little Miss. Perfect is oh so special. You know I don't give a damn about her graduation. I don't give a damn about her 'special' day. Because guess what? The only one who gave a damn about my 'special' graduation day was Sarah. So you can put up with my sarcastic remarks, my bitchy comebacks, and my angry glares." She yelled. When she turned everyone was looking at her including all the teachers, graduates, the family members in the audience, and most of all her 'family.' "You know what? Have a great life. Maybe I'll see you before I die, if it's not too much of a burden for you."

With that, she grabbed her things and hurried off.

"Meredith." Sarah yelled while everyone else stood in awe but she continued to walk away. She tried to run after her but Jonathon stopped her. "She right about you." Shara screamed. "It's all your fault." Tears rolled off her cheeks.

"We're here to support your sister." Jonathon said.

"What about my other sister?" She spat before turning towards Ellis. "What about your other daughter? You care more about your step-daughter than you do your real daughter."

Ellis swallowed hard and looked at her husband who was looking at her bitterly. Tears burned her eyes but she never let them fall. "Let's just sit down."

**_---------------------------------------------_**

**_I know it was a little short, but I wanted to get through this part before I head into the next big event. _**


	8. And That's Final

"Meredith?" Sarah yelled when they opened the door to their house. "Meredith?"

She ran up the stairs to Meredith's room to find her standing by her bed angrily throwing things into the suitcase. Sarah ran in the room wrapping her arms around Meredith.

"Hey, Sarah." Meredith said regaining balance.

"Please don't say your going. Please."

"I don't think I can stay, Sarah…. I…" Her voice fade not being able to find any words to say.

"Can I come with you?"

Meredith slowly shook her head and crouched down. "You don't want to come with me. Mom and Jonathon can provide for you. I can't do that."

"But…"

"Sarah." She said in a strong voice.

"Meredith?" Ellis voice came and Meredith's eyes wondered up to her.

"What?" She said a little harsher than she had anticipated.

"I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry I'm not a great mother to you and I'm sorry that I wasn't there when you graduated or whenever you needed me."

Meredith sighed. "Sorry doesn't make up for everything. Sorry might make you feel better about yourself, but it doesn't change anything. My plane leaves tomorrow morning."

"Please… don't go." Ellis said.

"You don't want me here. Addison doesn't want me here. Jonathon doesn't know who the hell I am, so why should I stay?"

"I want you here." Ellis said.

"Oh yes and sending me to a school all the way in California screams 'I want you to be here.'"

"I thought it was what was best for you."

Meredith shook her head letting out a sigh. "Whatever, Mom. We will never have the mother-daughter award. We will never see eye-to-eye and I may never forgive you."

With that, she pushed past her mother and walked away.

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Dinner was silent at the restaurant that night. Everyone ate in an awkward silence making it impossible to enjoy the fancy environment.

"Meredith?" Ellis said. Meredith just looked up at her not saying anything in acknowledgement. "I want you to get to know Addison. I want you to go to the Bahamas with her and Derek and Mark."

"What?" Both Meredith and Addison said loudly.

Ellis looked in the confused eyes of her daughter, stepdaughter, and husband. "I want you to go, Meredith."

"I'm going home tomorrow. You don't have to do this pretend to care crap."

"Meredith. I want you to go. You have to go."

"No, Mom. I don't want to spend two weeks of my summer vacation with Satan, Lover-boy, and whoever the hell Mark is."

"Hey! I am not Satan." Addison snapped.

"Whatever, She-Devil."

"Don't call my daughter that." Jonathon boomed.

"You can shield her from the world, but you can't stop me from telling her the truth." Meredith snapped at him.

"Hey, Meredith, you are going to the Bahamas and that's final!"


	9. Going To The Airport

_The next day…_

They were scheduled to leave that day. The plane took off at eleven o'clock that morning. Her door flew open promptly at six-thirty that morning. After showering, she used every excuse she could think of to try to get out of going. Defeated, she climbed the stairs, gathered her things, and returned to the car as Addison loaded in her second suitcase. Shaking her head at her step-sister's 'need' for so much stuff, she tossed her suitcase in.

"I'll see you around, Little-Girl." Meredith said hugging Sarah.

"Have fun."

"Yeah, like that will happen." She said rolling her eyes.

"You might be the only person alive who actually complains about going to the Bahamas." Sarah pointed out.

"Yeah, well, what can I say? I love to be original."

"Alright, have fun, Meredith." Ellis said.

Meredith rolled her eyes. "I'll try."

Jonathon muttered something that Meredith didn't bother to even try to hear. Addison did her 'I'm so sad and happy at the same time' good-bye hugs. Meredith waved to her sister once more before stealing the keys from Addison and climbing into the driver's seat.

"Hey!" Addison squealed as Meredith turned the key.

"Shut up." Meredith snapped. "Get your ass in."

Addison rolled her eyes and climbed into the passenger seat. She waved frantically to her family as Meredith backed out of the driveway.

"This is going to be so much fun." She said cheerfully.

"Whatever." She said rolling her eyes.

"Meredith, come on, it's the Bahamas."

"Yeah, I have to spend it with you, your boyfriend, and whoever the hell Mark is. Don't pretend like you even want me there, because I know you don't. Now where the hell does Derek live?"

Addison mumbled the directions using her fingers as direction tools. They finally pulled in front of an old Victorian-style house. Addison reached over and punched the horn twice. Soon, the door opened and Derek walked out dragging his suitcase behind him. Addison got out of the car meeting him halfway to hug him. They waved at his four sisters and mother before putting the stuff into the back. Derek opened the door and looked at her.

"Driving your step-sister to the airport, how sweet?"

She glared at him. "Don't be so naïve, Hair-boy. Mother-Dearest is forcing me to take this trip to hell."

"Oh… So you will be joining us." He asked climbing into the back of the car reluctantly.

"Just pretend like I'm not here. That's what Addison does." She said glaring at Addison who too had climbed into the back. Rolling her eyes, Addison instructed her which way to go.

When they pulled in front of a similar louse like Derek's that was located only two streets over, the guy who called her 'Pink Hair' at the graduation came out. She didn't make the connection to the name to the trip to the person, but she didn't care. Addison got out and Derek decided to stay in car.

"You excited?"

"Just thrilled." She said rolling her eyes with distaste and sarcasm in her voice.

"Come on. It's the Bahamas."

"Trust me, it's nothing different then California. I've been to the Bahamas and I live in California. Not that I expect you to know that." She said adjusting the review mirror.

"Why are you so hard on Addi?"

"Why are you asking so many questions?"

"Why are you avoiding the question?"

"Why don't you walk to the airport?" She made a 'shocked/you're stupid' look to him in the mirror.

The door opened and Addison climbed into the back. Mark settled into the front seat flashing a smile at Meredith which she tried not to return.

"Mark this is Meredith. Meredith, Mark."

"We've met." Meredith said beginning to drive.

"Would you stop that?" Addison said loudly.

Meredith didn't bother to answer. It was going to be a long few weeks.


	10. Landing In The Bahamas

She watched them make out in the seat in front and across the aisle. They hadn't broken apart in what seemed like for ever. Mark came back from the bathroom and sat down beside her.

"They're at it again?" He asked looking at them. She nodded rising at eye brow slightly. "It's weird, right?"

"What?" She asked looking at him.

"Being the third wheel." She sighed nodding. "You get used to it I guess."

"How does a guy like you become a third wheel kind of guy?"

"Derek is the whole serious relationship kind of person. I'm more of a…" He paused.

"Player." She laughed.

"Yeah, we'll go with that. Over the last… three years Addi and Derek have been… doing this while I've had multiple girls."

"Hmm… Good to know." Meredith commented before turning to look out the window.

He laughed. "What about you?"

"What about me?"

"Well all I know about you is that you have problems with your family."

"There isn't much to know." Meredith shrugged.

"Come on, we're going to be in the Bahamas for a few weeks together and we have to sit here together for hours."

She sighed. "I don't know you. You don't know me."

"Feisty are we?" Mark laughed.

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever. I'm going to sleep. You do… whatever you do."

"We can go to the bathroom and show you what I do." He said with a smirk and raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, keep dreaming." Meredith giggled turning away and facing away from him.

"Offer's always open."

She didn't say anything or look at him but smiled to herself as she put her ear buds into her ear. Mark noticed the smile but did nothing except for put his own headphones into his ears.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She woke up after being on the plane for two hours. Sitting up straight, she pulled her head off the window. Glancing at Mark, she found him asleep. Pulling her eyes away from Mark, she looked at Addison asleep with her head resting on Derek's shoulder, who was also asleep. She sighed and looked back out the window.

"Hey." A voice came after a few minutes. She looked over at Mark.

"Hey." She answered before turning her glance back outside the window.

"You look sad." He commented.

"I'm fine." She answered quickly.

"No, you aren't."

"How would you know? You don't know me."

"Well, I know that you're not fine."

She looked at him and shook her head. "I'm fine."

"Meredith, you can tell me."

"Why would I tell you? I just met you. You're best friends with Addison. You don't care about me… not like they do." She mumbled at the end letting out a long sigh. "Just go back to sleep or something. I don't want to talk."

Mark sighed and looked at her suspiciously but said nothing.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Wake up." Mark whispered shaking her lightly. She groaned and swatted his hand away. "Meredith, we landed." She opened her eyes and sighed. "Hey." He smiled at her.

"Hey." She yawned stretching her back as he stood up to wake Addison and Derek.

"Guys, get up. We landed."

They woke up quickly as Meredith pulled down the bags from the overhead compartment. After getting their bags down, they got off the plane. Derek led them to the baggage claim before they headed out to flag down a taxi. After loading the bags into the back, they piled in the car.

"The Hilton Hotel on Third Street, please." Addison said.

The driver nodded and started off down the street.

"This is going to be so much fun." Addison said with a big smile.

"Yes, so much fun." Meredith said drying rolling her eyes.

"Why do you always have to do that?" Addison snapped.

"Do what?" Meredith snapped back.

"Ruin our good time."

"Well, you ruined my life… I think it's only fair."

"I did not ruin your life."

Meredith rolled eyes. "Oh please, you're worse than my mother. Just don't talk to me."

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Addison yelled.

"What the hell is wrong with me? What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Nothing is wrong with me."

Meredith rolled her eyes looking out the window as they drove down the street. She could see the bright blue water. She had been to the Bahamas before. She liked it there. It was warm and the beach was nice. But she would rather be in California. They had beaches there too, and they didn't have Addison. California was the one thing that was hers that Addison had never had. Sure Addison had the attention of her father and step-mother. Sure she was praised for getting into Dartmouth. But she did have California. Addison had New York full of snobby people who pass you on the street. If you asked Meredith, it fit Addison well.

They pulled up down a different street leading closer to the beach.

"So we got a beach font hotel." Addison said cheerfully.

"That's great." Derek said causing Meredith to roll her eyes.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Addison squealed.

"You… You is what's wrong with me." Meredith yelled back as the driver pulled in front of the hotel. She pushed the door open as they came to a stop.

Addison didn't say anything as they got out of the car. Mark and Derek unloaded the trunk. Meredith grabbed her bag and started for the hotel. Addison, Mark, and Derek weren't far behind.

"Reservations under Montgomery." Addison told the desk clerk.

"Yes. Here are your keys." The clerk said smiling at her.

"Thank you."

She walked back over to the group. "Meredith you're going to room with Mark, okay?"

Meredith sighed. "Not like I have a choice."

"Aw, come on, I don't bite…" Mark said with a smirk. "Unless you want me to." He whispered in her ear.

Meredith rolled her eyes snatching the key from Addison and walking away. Mark laughed before following her. Addison looked at Derek.

"This is going to be fun." He said taking her hand. "Let's go."

They walked across the lobby and got on the elevator with Meredith and Mark.

Meredith stayed as far as she could from Addison.

"What should we do first?" Addison asked gleefully.

"Well, first, I'm going to vomit." Meredith said harshly.

"Stop! I will not let you ruin this for me." She yelled.

"Oh please, like I want to be here." The door opened and she walked out. They followed.

"It's the Bahamas not many people would refuse spending time at the beach." Derek said.

"Oh yes like it's a new thing for me. I have all of this at home. I live in freaking California." She said sharply opening the door to hers and Mark's room.

_**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**_

_**I know Mer seems really harsh and out of line or whatever you want to call her behavior, but her whole like she had been compared to Addison. Addison had moved into her life and in her opinion ruined her childhood. **_


	11. Trying To Steal Him

When she left Boston two years earlier, she was a very insecure person. She covered herself up and allowed herself to fall back into the shadows. But about six months after she got to California, her figure and chest started to become more mature. And people started to notice. Guys started to notice her. But even after all those years of guys taking notice, whenever she was near Addison she couldn't help but want to snake back into the shadows. She didn't feel she wasn't any less beautiful than her. She didn't feel inferior or anything. But the memories of Addison's words and looks while people at Dale High made jokes about her were still fresh in her mind.

Letting out a sigh, she tightened the towel around her chest before heading out. As she walked out into the bedroom she noticed Mark sitting on one of the beds. Her cheeks instantly blushed as her arms flew up and covered her chest.

"What…What are you doing here?" She stammered.

Mark's eyes went up in down her body a few times before he snapped out of the trance. "This is my… room." He swallowed hard.

She as well snapped out of the trance and walked over to her suitcase. "I thought you'd be out with Addison or Derek or whatever."

"We figured we would hang around here for a little."

"I better go put on clothes." She mumbled.

"Or you could just stay like that and we can have some fun around here."

She rolled her eyes. "Shut up." With that she walked back into the bathroom.

* * *

"So, Meredith, what do you want to do?" Addison asked walking further into Meredith's and Mark's hotel room.

"I don't care what you do. I'm going to the beach and getting some lunch." She said dryly from the bathroom.

"Are you going to be like this all vacation?" The door unlocked and Meredith stepped out in a black, halter top bikini.

"Only when you're around." She answered walking over to her suitcase. Mark instantly took notice.

"Are you sure you should wear that?" Addison asked.

"I'm going to the beach. Do you expect me to wear long sleeves and a skirt to my ankles?"

"I just mean… I don't want you to get hurt and looking like that…"

"Looking like what, Addison?"

"Hot. Really hot." Mark said with a smirk.

Both Addison and Meredith turned to look at him.

"I'm going Addison and I'm going wearing I want." She pulled a black, skirt cover up on.

"Want any company?" Mark asked.

"I'm not going to stop you. It's a public beach." She said grabbing a beach bag and put all her stuff in it.

Mark jumped off the bed, grabbed his swim trunks, and headed towards the bathroom.

"Mark! What about us?" Addison pouted.

"I'm just going to the beach, Addi. I'm not leaving you guys." He called from behind the bathroom door.

"But the three of us are supposed to be on vacation… together."

"Don't be so dramatic, Addi." He opened the door and walked out. "Besides, all you'll be doing is making out, so you won't even miss me. It'll only be a couple hours."

Addison sighed. "Whatever. We can meet up for lunch somewhere."

"Sounds good." Mark nodded.

"Are you coming or not?" Meredith asked impatiently as she waited for Mark by the door.

"Coming." He nodded. "See you later, Addi."

"Bye." She sighed and headed back to her own room.

* * *

"She complains about being here and then she's trying to steal Mark." Addison said climbing up the bed to where Derek was sitting watching TV.

"From who? Mark isn't dating anyone."

"From us, Derek."

"What's the big deal if he goes to the beach with her?"

Addison lifted her head from his chest to look at him. "This is our vacation, Derek. This is our last big bang before we're separated for college."

"I guess I don't see the big deal. Besides we can do this when their gone." He said kissing her.

"I think I can deal with that." She said rolling on top of him.


	12. I Don't Want

They had gotten back after spending three hours at the beach

They had gotten back after spending three hours at the beach. Meredith had fallen asleep while Mark got caught up in a game of volleyball with some random guys. They got some ice cream and headed back to the hotel. Mark went out with Addison and Derek for a couple of hours, but she didn't want to go with them. It wasn't until ten o'clock that he got back. She was laying in bed allowing complete darkness to surround her. She didn't feel like watching TV or talking on her phone, so she just laid there staring at the ceiling sorting through her thoughts when the door opened and Mark walked in.

"Hey." He said making his way to the bathroom.

"Hey." She sighed without removing her eyes from the ceiling. After a few minutes, the bathroom door opened and he walked out in sweatpants and no shirt. She took notice but pushed the thoughts out of her head when he turned off the bathroom light and darkness once again returned.

Silence lingered between the two for a few minutes as he climbed into bed and tried to get comfortable.

"Why are you so hostile towards Addi?" He finally asked.

"I'm not having this conversation." She answered dryly.

"She hasn't been in your life for two years. What did she do to you to make you hate her?"

"Is it your business?"

"No… Sorry." He sighed.

After a long time of silence, she sighed. "How would you feel if you're mother remarried after two years of being divorce and quickly introducing you to a stepfamily? And overnight you went for a child who didn't need to fight for her mother's love because she wouldn't give it to you anyway to a shadow? A mistake in your mother's past?" She wasn't sure why she was telling him all of this, but she couldn't stop. He was listening and for once it felt good just to say everything that had been weighing on her mind. "Overnight I went from being alone in a house while my mother worked long hours to having a stepsister who got everything she ever wanted. She had the looks and the brains and every single person she ever met wrapped around her finger, and she knew it. My mother forgot about me entirely and all the focus not on her work was on her precious stepdaughter. Up to that point, I envied Addison. I didn't hate her. When we were younger, we were fine and got along as well as we could. But when she started to notice that she was gorgeous and oh-so-perfect, she turned her back on me. She said things. She did things. She spread rumors. She denied helping me even if I needed it. Eventually, I grew to resent her on principle. I dyed my hair pink and I acted out to piss my mother off and to embarrass my perfect stepfamily. And they sent me away. Paid me to stay out of their lives. I walked across the stage at my graduation without a family in the crowd. I didn't get a phone call except for from Sarah. A week later, my mother called and invited me home as if it was a freaking obligation. I don't know why, but I said yes. When I got back, she didn't even recognize me." She looked at him. "I don't want to be here. I don't want be near her. I don't want to get to know her. And I don't want to be apart of that family. I love Sarah, but…" She looked up at the ceiling to keep her tears at bay. "I can't look at them and forget that they did nothing to fight for me."

He listened to her letting her words soak in. And for once, he had a foreign sense of anger towards Addison. He had known Meredith for less than a week and he was angry for the hurt that was put on her. Shaking the thoughts from his head, he looked over at her bed that couldn't even be seen in complete darkness. "I'm sorry."

She didn't answer instead just rolled on her side so her back was to him.


	13. Imaginary Guy

She woke up as the sunlight fell on her face

She woke up as the sunlight fell on her face. Groaning, she rolled onto her side and buried her head in the pillow. After a few seconds, she realized she wasn't going to fall back to sleep anytime soon, so she kicked the covers back and sat up. Mark's light snoring filled the air. Rolling her eyes, she tried with all her might not to think about how charming his snore was, and how he still looked so hot laying in a mass of tangled blankets and a head of messy hair. She pushed herself off the bed and walked into the bathroom. After using the bathroom, she pulled on a light weight cotton robe just to feel a little more covered up than she did wearing the camisole and shorts. Pulling the French doors leading to the balcony open, she felt warm breeze rush in passing past her bare legs and pushing the back of her robe off her body. Stepping out, she pulled the door leaving it slight crack so she wouldn't be locked out.

His nose wrinkled as a warm breeze rolled over his bed. He could smell a light scent of salt lingering in the air. He could feel the warmth of the breeze and heat of the light on his face as he opened his eyes slowly. Sitting up, he looked around confusedly before his eyes settled on the balcony doors. Slowly, he pulled himself to the feet and walked to the door no bothering to put on any kid of shirt. He saw Meredith leaning forward on her elbows against the railing. Her hair blew around her, and the bottom of the robe flowed in waves behind her. She was staring out towards the beach watching the waves crashed against the shore.

He stepped out and leaned on the railing beside her with his back towards beach. She glanced over at him. "Good morning." He said quietly.

"Morning." She returned.

"You're up early?" She just shrugged returning her eyes to the scenery in the distance. "Did I make you uncomfortable yesterday?" He asked after a few seconds.

"No, did I make you?" She asked.

"No, not at all."

She ran her fingers through her hair turning so she was standing like Mark. "Why are you so interested?"

"I don't know." He shrugged. It was a little bit of a lie. Meredith interested him. She was an interesting girl. She was feisty yet mysterious… and interesting. She seemed to be smart, fun, and not to mention she was amazingly hot.

"I'm going to take a shower." Meredith sighed.

He nodded as she made her way back into the hotel room.

--

"Meredith?" Addison called as she walked into the coffee shop that Meredith was sitting in. Glancing over her shoulder, she fought the urge to roll her eyes and forced a small, sarcastic smile. Mark couldn't help but smile when he saw this. "Hey, Meredith."

"Hey." She sighed sipping her coffee. Soon, Mark was sitting beside her, and Derek and Addison were on the other side. She was snuggled close to her boyfriend's body holding his hand below the table with that stupid in love grin.

"So, ah, what are you doing today?" Derek asked directing the question mainly at Meredith since he, Addison, and Mark had already made plans… more or less Addison made them and forced them upon them. But Derek was happy if his girlfriend was.

"I don't know." She said with little enthusiasm.

"Derek, Mark, and I are going to the beach, then for lunch we're going to try this little beach place down the street. Then, we're going to the carnival." She felt like a little kid, but she didn't care. She wanted to let loose and be a little kid for a little while before she had to go to college and be serious about her education and such.

"You can come with us." Mark offered. From the look on his friends' faces, he knew they wanted it just to be the three of them. But he didn't really care.

"Nah, I've got my own things to do. There's this hot guy I saw at the pool last night. Maybe I'll track him down." She mused. She wasn't really planning on doing anything if for no other reason then there was no guy. Sure there were plenty of good looking guys, but there was no one in particular that she had seen the night before. She said it more because she figured it would make Addison angry or something. And it did. Her face washed over with shock as did the guys. She noticed a hint of jealousy in Mark's face, but she quickly brushed it off as a misinterpretation and gave Addison a mischief smile. "So, Mark, if you come back to the room and there's any indication I'm not alone, hang out it Addison's room." She gave them another smile before taking a long sip of her drink.

Derek was first to shake off the shock and cleared his throat. "Yeah, so did you want to catch up for dinner or something?"

She took her eyes off her stepsister and looked at Derek. "I'll probably just get room service or something."

"We were planning on that Italian restaurant, right?" Derek asked Addison who finally pulled out of the shocked daze long enough to nod.

"I can't believe you just said that?" She whispered.

"Said what?" Meredith asked thinking the conversation about the made up guy was done.

"About the guy?"

Rolling her eye, she wasn't sure how she should answer. Though she had painted a slightly slutty image of herself in their heads, she wasn't sure if it was an insult that Addison was so surprised to find out that she did have a personal life. "I have a personal life." She shrugged. "And I can do what I want." She fought the childish urge to stick out her tongue and say 'you're not the boss of me!'

"I'm just trying to look out for you." Addison sighed sitting back in her chair.

"I don't need looking after. I can take care of myself, Addison." With that she stood. "I would love to stay and chat, but I've got to go change. I have a date with a dolphin."

"With a dolphin? What are you talking about?" Mark asked breaking out of an elongated trance.

"I might live in California, but I don't have time to do touristy things. And I might hate being here, but it can't mean I can't have a little fun." Picking up her coffee, she turned and left.


	14. My Date

She got back from swimming with the dolphins, and it was nearly three thirty

She got back from swimming with the dolphins, and it was nearly three thirty. She used the key card and opened the door to find Mark standing in his boxers in the middle of the room. He jumped at the sound and looked over before getting a cocky smile. She rolled her eyes as she set her things down.

"Where are you going?" She asked trying to ignore how unbelievable hot he looked when he was wearing nothing but his boxers.

"Dinner. Addi is dragging us to some fancy Italian place." He rolled his eyes as she walked into the bathroom.

"Not your style, Sloan?"

"Nope, I'm more of a casual guy."

"Have fun with that."

"You aren't joining us?"

"I told you, I'll get room service."

"If I'm being dragged out, so are you."

"Is that right?" She said with amusement in her voice as she opened the bathroom door. She was just wearing the bikini that was under her clothes. "I don't think so. I've got better things to do than play little Miss. Perfect with my perfect step-sister and her perfect boyfriend."

"But I'll be there."

"Oh yes, and you're my saving grace."

"I can be whatever you want." He smirked suggestively. She rolled her eyes but could manage to suppress a smile.

"I'm still not coming."

"Come on, Meredith. I need a little bit of your… whatever you have going to balance out the perfection. Besides, then I won't have to be the third wheel. Come on, be my date."

"No." She answered walking back into the bathroom not bothering to shut the door. He walked over and leaned against the doorframe. "Besides, you said it yourself, you don't do dates."

"Please, for me?" He pleaded giving her a cute pout. She stared at him out of the corner of her eye before sighing deeply.

"Fine. I'll go. But you owe me."

"I can think of a few ways to repay you."

She glared at him as she pushed him out of the bathroom and shut the door.

--

Mark lied on the bed watching TV waiting until she finished showering, blow drying her hair, and doing her make-up. She soon emerged with a towel wrapped around her body not really paying much attention. He took notice of her attire, but she either didn't notice his attention or didn't care. Her make-up was lightly done that gave her a beautiful glow. Her hair was done in loose curls. Everything made her so beautiful.

"What are we supposed to wear?" She asked looking through the closet at the clothes she had brought.

"She's making us guys wear coat and tie. So…"

"Dresses. Fun… I'm beginning to hate you more and more."

"You know you love me." He laughed as she rolled her eyes. Pulling out a black dress, she looked at it before putting it away. She pulled out a dark purple one.

"What to wear?" She sighed as she put the purple one back.

"What's wrong with that one?"

"Nothing. Just checking out my options. You never know who you'll bump into when you're out in about, so I might as well look hot."

"You've got nothing to worry about." He mumbled not meaning for her to hear, but she did and blushed at the fact.

She grabbed a black, low cut, spaghetti strap dress before disappearing into the bathroom. It didn't take long for her to reappear looking gorgeous. She gave him a soft smile as she walked towards the closet. She picked up a pair of black heels and plopped back on the bed to put them on. She did the clasp around both of her ankles and stood.

"How do I look?" She asked spinning around.

"Hot, really, really hot."

She giggled modestly. "Come on, we better go."

"Yeah. Addison turns into Queen Bitch if we're late to her dinner things." He rolled his eyes as he led her out putting his hand on the small of her back without thinking. When he noticed what he had done, he nervously looked at her. She didn't seem to mind, so he just led her down the hall like that.

"Where are we meeting the happy couple?"

"Lobby." He answered as they got on the elevator. "And just so I know, will I get a good night kiss after our date?" He joked putting emphasis on the word date.

"Depends on how good this date is." She smirked back.

It wasn't a date. But it felt like a date. She was going out to dinner with an amazingly good-looking guy. Sure, she would have to sit across the table from Satan. But if it were any other place, at any other time she would have jumped on the chance. She was sharing a room with him, for Christ sake, and had yet to slip into his bed or even kiss him for a matter a fact. What was stopping her? Half of her was using that he's Addison's best friend of an excuse. Half of her wasn't so sure. He was attractive, sweet in some ways and sarcastic and dirty in others, and funny. He was going to medical school after he graduated, so he had to be at least remotely smart. He seemed to understand what she was talking about when she told him about her family the other night. So what was it that made her just want to sit in the hotel room with him while sharing a large pizza and watching a movie.

She was pulled from her thoughts when the bell on the elevator dinged. Glancing up at him, she found him smiling down at her.

"What are you thinking about?" He asked.

"Who said I was thinking about anything? Besides, why would I tell you?"

"Because I'm your date." He gave her a cheeky grin. She rolled her eyes as he looped her arm with his and they started out towards the lobby.

Addison must have noticed them first because her face looked surprise to see them enter as they did with their arms looped together. It didn't take long for it to register for Derek, but by that point they were standing in front of them.

"You're joining us, Meredith?" Derek said first.

"No, I usually get dressed up and walk out with Mark when I'm going out by myself." She rolled her eyes.

"We're on a date." Mark said with a big, goofy smile.

"Really?" Addison asked with wide eyes.

"Why you don't want me dating your precious best friend, Addison?" Meredith asked.

"Come on, let's go." Derek said leading them away.


	15. Dinner

Surprisingly, Meredith found herself having a good time with Mark on the way to the restaurant. They were in a taxi together, and Derek and Addison were in a different one. They were playfully arguing back and forth about random subjects like whether New York or California was better or how tomato should be pronounced. When they pulled up in front of the restaurant Addison had chosen, their back and forth banter didn't falter for a minute.

Mark went to pull out his wallet, but she grabbed his hand. "I take care of it." She insisted.

"I'm being a gentleman. I can pay for the cab ride on our date."

She opened her bag. "Seriously, I can pay it."

"Meredith, I'm trying to be nice."

"Just because you're a guy doesn't mean…"

Before she could object, he handed the driver the money and smiled at her. She swatted his arm but smiled anyway. He extended him arm which she looped hers with and walked along side him to the restaurant. Derek and Addison were waiting for them right inside the door. The hostess sat them along a wall of windows that overlooked the water. Mark and Meredith sat on one side with Derek and Addison on the other.

The waitress brought them water and asked them for drink orders. They all decided just to stick with the water for now. Though Meredith was tempted to ask for alcohol, she knew Addison would through a fit and would tell the waitress she was underage. They quickly decided on what to order, and waited for her to return in silence. Mark, who was not one to just sit in silence, decided to break it and poke Meredith's leg. She glared at him as a smirk formed on her lips. He quietly laughed and poked her again when she looked away again. Glaring, she poked his ribs ignoring the fact she felt like a five year old. She couldn't help but laugh out loud when an offended, hurt look crossed his face. It didn't take long for him to retaliate and poke her side. Derek and Addison watched the display at a lost of words.

"Stop." She laughed as he poked her stomach.

"Victory." He cheered quietly. He glanced around at glaring faces around the restaurant. Obviously their laughter ignored the other people eating in the area. But neither Meredith nor Mark cared. "I hate fancy places." He groaned quietly. "Their too… up tight."

"Exactly what I tried to convince my mother of before she sent me away."

"That must have been awesome."

"What?"

"Being out on your own."

"What's not to love? When nobody cares about what you do, you can do whatever you please. Get drunk. Stay out late. College parties."

"You do that?" Addison asked. "Meredith you aren't old enough to drink."

"When you have a fake ID and bat your eyelashes enough, they really don't stop you, Addison."

"Why do you even have the need to do things like that?"

"Why not? It's not like mommy dearest cares and it's not like my father's in the picture. And if you haven't noticed, you 'daddy' doesn't have any idea who I am."

"Yes he does."

"The world must look pretty perfect in the dream world you're living in, Addison. The world where nothing bad happens and your father can shield you from all the rain."

"That's what father's do. If you had behaved during our sophomore year..."

"Please don't tell me you buy into the crap that they sent me away because I misbehaved."

"You dyed your hair pink, for Christ sake."

"They sent me away because I didn't fit into the portrait of the perfect family. They didn't want me to ruin their images, so they sent me away. It's not like you would have noticed though. It's not like you ever gave a fuck about me."

"That's not true!"

"The only time you ever cared about me was before you realized how freaking perfect you are. And now you want to pretend that you care because I've changed. My hair is blonde. My chest finally filled out, and I haven't been around to ruin the rest of your high school years."

"None of that is true!"

"When was the last time you talked to me before graduation? I'll answer that. It was the last time you saw me before I moved to California. So how about this? After this hellish vacation, I'll stay out of your life, and you stay out of mine."

She settled back in her ignoring the shocked stares coming from Mark and Derek.

"I have been nothing but nice to you since you got back. You haven't shown me an ounce of kindness."

"I don't give what I don't receive, Addison." Meredith responded coldly.

"I have never…" Addison started.

"Just stop. I don't want to hear it." She sighed. "Just leave me alone."

_**--**_

_**Some changes in the Mer/Addi and MerMark relationships will start to come in the next chapter. For better or for the worse, I'm not quite sure. Keep reading. **_


	16. The First Date Brings On Jealousy

Dinner ended quicker than Addison probably intended. They waited by the street trying to flag down a taxi. Meredith was tempted to show a little more skin to get one to stop, but didn't feel up to criticism from Addison. She and Mark stood away from the street joking and flirting back and forth. When he noticed her shivering because of the ocean breeze, he took off her jacket and put it around her shoulders. She smiled at him as he wrapped his arms around her small body. Addison glanced over and stood baffled at what she saw. They were talking in low whispers with Meredith still in his embrace with his coat draped over his shoulders. She felt a slight twinge of jealousy. This was hers, Mark's, and Derek's last big celebration before they were separated for college. She was going to Dartmouth with Derek. But Mark was going to USC on the other side of the freaking country. Their close friendship would be strained since they'd only see him once a year when he came back to New York to see his parents. This was their vacation then Meredith swooped in and captured Mark's attention as if Addison and Derek didn't exist. It wouldn't be a big deal if Meredith wasn't so stubborn and she'd just forgive her for whatever she did or didn't do when they were younger.

A cab finally stopped in front of them. Derek opened the door allowing his girlfriend to slip into the seat.

"Come on, guys." Addison called.

"I'm just going to walk. It's only a few blocks." Meredith said back.

"Come on, Meredith. It's a cab ride. I'm sure you can handle being near me."

"Not everything has to do with you Addison. I feel like walking." She snapped. "I'll meet you back at the hotel, Mark." She said slipping the jacket off his shoulders to give it to him.

"No, I'll walk with you."

"Come on, Mark." Addison groaned.

"Meet you back at the hotel guys." Mark said shutting the door.

"Mark, it's fine."

"There could be bad people out." He gave her an amused grin.

"I can take care of myself."

"Sure you can." He rolled his eyes at her. "Besides I want to walk with you." She stared at him for a second as he slipped the coat back over her shoulders. Letting out a sigh when he noticed she wasn't moving yet, he took her hand and pulled her gently. "Come on. It's getting chilly."

They walked in comfortable silence giving each other sideways glances, but every time their eyes met they quickly looked away. Their fingers were still intertwined since neither really wanted to pull their hand away.

"Regardless of Addison, I had a good time with you, Mark." She finally said.

"Yeah, me too."

"I'd maybe even consider a second date." She gave him a smile.

"But maybe we'll leave the old married couple at the hotel."

She giggled. "Yeah, I think we should."

They stayed silent until they got to the hotel. They walked through the lobby to the elevator and rode it to their floor. Meredith stood in front of the door searching her bag for the card key. Mark just stared at her. She really was beautiful. Everything about her was adorable. Before he could stop himself, he lifted her chin so she could look at him. Softly, he kissed her lips. It didn't take long for her to return the kiss. Pulling back, he stroked her cheek with his thumb. Giving him a soft smile, she pulled the card key out and opened the door.

Shutting the door, she turned to him again with a suggestive grin. Her lips crashed against his in a heated kiss. Her hands found the buttons of his shirt and started fumbling around to undo them. It wasn't until his shirt was completely undone did his head catch up with him. Reluctantly, he pulled back and sighed. "Meredith, we can't."

"Why not? We're too consenting people."

"We just can't. Not yet."

She fell back on her heels and looked up at him. "Why not?"

"I like you, Meredith. I really like you. I don't know if I just want you to be just another girl."

She gave him a soft smile and kissed his lips softly. "Okay."

"Okay?"

She nodded. "Okay." She repeated simply before grabbing a pair of jeans and school t-shirt shirt from her suitcase and walking into the bathroom. He stood with the slight feeling of euphoria before changing out of his clothes and into a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt. When she came back he had already changed out of his clothes and was sitting on the bed. Giving him a soft smile, she grabbed a gray sweatshirt from her suitcase and pulled it on.

"Where are you going he asked?" He asked.

"I really want some chocolate ice cream. Want to come?"

"I could go for some ice cream." Grabbing a black sweatshirt, he followed her out. "Let me just let Addison know."

"She's not your keeper you know?"

He chuckled giving her a nod as he knocked on the door. "But she'll go crazy with worry, call me, and ruin our good time."

Smiling, she rolled her eyes mockingly. The door finally opened and Derek stood on the other side. Addison didn't far behind still in her dress from that evening.

"Hey, we're going out for ice cream. So we'll see you later."

"Mark, I thought we were going to go watch our show." Addison protested.

"I'll catch it on rerun." He shrugged.

"But we always watch it together."

"It's only one week. No big deal."

"This is our last summer together." Addison continued to object.

"I'll watch it with you next week. See you later."

With that, he walked away with Meredith by his side. Once again, Addison felt a pang of jealousy.


	17. Questions

"Where were you born?" He asked her through the darkness.

"Seattle, you?"

"New York."

"Siblings?"

"None except Derek's family."

"Sarah and… Addison." She sighed. "You're that close with Derek?"

"It was my turn to ask a question. But yes. Um, favorite flavor of ice cream."

"Strawberry." She giggled. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Nothing. Mine is strawberry too."

"Would you rather a hamburger and fries at a bar or a fancy restaurant?"

"Definitely the bar."

"Me too."

"Beach or pool?"

"Beach, you?"

"Pool."

"Where are you going to college?"

"USC, you?"

"Stanford."

"Really?"

"Did think I could get into a school like that, Sloan?"

"No, I mean, we're both in California."

"At least five hours apart though."

"What graduate program are you going into?"

"Medicine."

"Me too."

"What are you planning on doing?"

"Surgery."

"Same."

"So is Addison. Didn't think you'd go into the same field."

"That's the one and only thing we agree on."

"Hmm… wouldn't have pegged you as one to follow in your mother's footsteps."

"Surgery runs in our family I guess… But anyway… um, parents together or divorced?"

"Together. But might as well be divorced. They aren't around much. Dad's a lawyer. Mom owns a company. We don't see much of each other."

"Divorced. Thatcher, my father, is somewhere. I haven't seen him since I was seven. And, well you know my workaholic mother who's never around. Jonathon hardly remembers my name and only cares who I am when I'm mean to his daughter."

"Meredith…" He said sympathetically.

"It's no big deal. Mom doesn't care. Thatcher doesn't care. Jonathon doesn't care. Addison doesn't care. Why should I go out of my way to pity myself for not having something I never had and never had the chance to have."

"I'm sure they care…"

"I don't want to talk about it, Mark." She sighed. He heard the bed creak as she rolled over onto her side. "Goodnight."

"Night."

--

"What are you doing today?" He asked sitting shirtless on the bed as she changed in the bathroom.

"Shopping." She called back.

"Want company?"

She opened the door and looked at him disbelievingly. "You're offering to go shopping with me?"

"Yeah."

"Are you gay?"

"I am definitely not gay. But watching you try on clothes might be fun." He shrugged.

"So you're refusing sex, and you want to go shopping. Sounds like you're not interested in woman… Which is fine."

"I'm not gay, Grey. I'm trying to be a nice guy who will eventually take complete advantage of you."

She rolled her eyes and nodded. "Fine you can come."

"Good… so can we do fun shopping like for… lingerie?"

She laughed. "Nope."

"Please. I thought you wanted in my pants."

She rolled here eyes again. "Go to hell, Sloan."

He chuckled as he stood up and pulled on a shirt. "You love me."

"I hate you."

"Sure you do." He laughed pulling on his shoes as she pulled on hers.

They finished getting ready and walked into the hall. Mark stopped at Addison's and Derek's door and knocked. Meredith stood behind him fidgeting with her bag until the door opened. Addison stood on the other side with a smile. "Good morning." She chirped.

"Morning." Mark said back. "So, um, me and Mer are going shopping?"

"What?"

"Meredith wanted to go shopping, and I'm tagging along."

"You never want to go shopping with me. What's in it for you?"

"Nothing." He shrugged. "Except for a possible shop at Victoria Secrets." Addison's eyes went wide when she heard that.

"Not happening, Sloan." Meredith interrupted with a small smirk.

"Yes it will." He chuckled. "But, we'll see you later."

"If you give us five minutes, we'll come too."

"Then Mer can't give me a one-woman fashion show of all the sexy clothes she's buying."

"Shut up, Mark!" Meredith laughed hitting his arm.

"We'll catch up with you for lunch."

"Yeah sure." Addison said still a little in shock that Mark was talking about Meredith like that. With that, they walked down the hall. She watched them walk away as Mark locked his arm with hers.

What was wrong with Mark? He was taking a woman shopping, out for ice cream, and walking her home. He actually seemed to be wanting to spend time with her. Never had he ever wanted to do something like that. Not even with her, his best female friend. And this wasn't just some woman. This was Meredith. Meredith Grey! What the hell was going on?


	18. Oh My God!

"Can't we go to a fun store?" He pouted as he followed her through the mall. He carried a few of her bags to be a gentlemen, of course.

"What kind of store would that be, Mr. Sloan?" She asked glancing in each store as they passed.

"Victoria Secrets."

She stared at him. "Fine." She sighed.

"Seriously?" He asked caught slightly off guard. She didn't answer instead walked towards the Victoria Secret. "Oh my god, you are the best chick, I've ever met, Meredith." His grin was so big he didn't really care when she put her purse in his hand.

She didn't answer just smile as she looked through a few racks of bras, panties, and lingerie. His eyes only grew wider as she pulled a few things off the rack. Then, she moved towards the dressing rooms. He was about to follow her in, when she put her hand on his chest to stop him. "Nobody said anything about you coming in."

His grin dropped from his face in an instant. She smiled triumphantly letting out a few giggles as she pulled the curtain shut.

"Meredith." He whined.

She just continued to laugh as she stripped off her clothes. He stood in the doorway to the dressing rooms, that were empty of everyone except him and Meredith, watching as clothes dropped the floor in on heap corner. He continued to pout even though he couldn't see her.

"Why can't I see?" He asked.

"Because I have no intention in letting you see me partially naked, Sloan."

"Last night…"

"Last night was a moment of weakness on my part." She poked her head out making sure the curtain was still covering her body. "And stop pouting."

"Are you saying you don't like me, Grey? You don't want in my pants?" He said knowing that she was just saying all those things to make him feel bad.

"That's what I'm saying." She called over the curtain. "Hmm."

"What?"

"I don't know if I like this."

"I could give you a helping hand."

She rolled her eyes. "Sloan, is sex all you have on your mind?"

"No… Alright, yes."

She laughed. She threw the curtain back catching him completely off guard. One moment, she's refusing his help. The next, she standing before him in a purple bra with black lacy sewn on top and black lacy panties. The bags slipped out of his hands and his mouth dropped slightly. Giggling to herself, she shut the curtain. "That's a yes." She said to herself as she looked in the mirror. The curtain opened and shut quickly. Then, before she really had to coherent thoughts, she was pushed up against the wall, his hands were on her hips, and his tongue was frantically pushing into her mouth. She, of course, returned the kiss, wrapped her arms around his neck, and deepened the kiss. His hands worked their way up her back to the bra hooks. Anxiously, his fingers worked to get it undone. But, she pulled back causing him to stop.

"I thought you wanted to wait." She mumbled.

"Meredith, you aren't like other girls. Other girls don't make me want to go shopping with them or ignore other girls at the beach. You aren't like any other girl I've been with."

She stared at him for a few more seconds before kissing him again. "The changing room of Victoria Secret is not the place for this kind of thing, Sloan." She whispered. He pouted as she pushed him away lightly. "Out. Let me change and we'll go."

He sadly nodded and walked out into the main part of the dressing room to gather her bags.

--

Somehow between the time they made it through the lobby and to the elevators down the hall, she ended up over his shoulder laughing loudly. She carried the Victoria Secret bag in one hand while he carried the other three bags in the hand he wasn't using to hold her up.

"Put me down, Mark." She insisted as they stood in the elevator.

"You walk to slow." He protested.

"You're just impatient." Sighing, she let herself dangle against his back.

The doors finally dinged, and he quickly moved to get off. They almost made it down the hall to their room without running into anyone when Derek came around the corner coming back from the ice machine. He stopped when he saw them and gave Mark a quizzical look. Meredith, who noticed Mark's slowed pace, looked to see who it was.

"I'll, ah, go try this on." She said quietly as she wiggled out of his grasp and dropped to her feet. A smirk formed of Marks lips as she walked off to their room with a suggestive smirk.

"So, you and Meredith…?" Derek asked.

"Me and Meredith." He nodded with a proud grin.

"Addi's going to be pissed."

"Good thing it's my love life not hers."

"She's still going to be pissed."

"I don't care. Meredith… She's different than most girls. I've never felt this way about anyone."

"You really like her?"

"A lot, Derek. You know me, I don't do shopping for just anyone."

"You really do like her." Mark nodded. "Be careful."

Mark gave him a grin and followed in the direction Meredith left.

--

"What the hell is that noise?" Addison asked walking around the room. Derek watched trying to hide his grin. The constant moaning and thumping on the wall had been going on for at least ten minutes and Addison still hadn't been able to figure out who was causing it. She put her ear up to the wall that they shared with the people to their right. Shaking her head at Derek, she looked around before giving Derek a questioning look. He smirked and nodded in the direction of the wall they shared with Meredith and Mark's room. She gave him a disgusted look and shook her head. He just nodded with a knowing smirk. "It can't be."

She put her ear up to the wall and within seconds heard a distinctive 'Mark' from the other room. "He could be with anybody. He's Mark for crying out loud."

"Sure he is." Derek replied returning his eyes to the TV. He returned his gaze to his girlfriend as she put up her ear to listen. "Don't listen to him… doing it. He's wrong."

"Sh…" She hissed. Then she heard a voice distinctively say 'Meredith.' She gasped and whirled around to look at Derek. "Meredith's having sex too." Derek just nodded. "That means they're having sex!" She nearly yelled. "Oh my god, my stepsister and best friend are having sex!"


	19. Suspicions

There was another burst of rapid, inpatient knocking

There was another burst of rapid, inpatient knocking. It was the second time within five minutes. He groaned burying his head into her head. After two exhausting rounds of sex, they had both fallen asleep. His arm was rested around her waist, and her legs were intertwined with his.

"Go answer the door." She mumbled pulling the pillow over her face in hopes it would block out the sound. He groaned again and moved closer to her wrapping his arm tighter around her waist. She couldn't help but smile as he did so.

"I don't want to." He protested quietly.

Another round of irritatingly obnoxious knocking came. "Go, Sloan." She ordered.

Letting out a deep sigh, he stood, slipped on a pair of boxers, and walked to the door. Wincing at the bright lights the hall was lit with, he looked at Addison.

"Yes Addi?" He yawned leaning against the doorframe for support.

"What are you doing?" She asked as she moved around to see in the room. He pulled the door so that his body filled in the gap. Looking at him skeptically, she dropped from her tiptoes.

"I was sleeping."

"Are you sleeping with my stepsister?" She said in a low tone but still put emphasis on 'sleeping.'

"Yes, Meredith is sleeping as well." He said dryly. She glared at him, but he didn't smirk or anything to give him any indication of which type of sleeping they were doing. "I'm tired, Addi. Can I go back to my nap?"

She sighed, nodded, and stormed back towards her room. Rolling his eyes, he shut the door and walked back towards the bed kicking their scattered clothes from earlier that day out of the way.

"Who was that?" She asked when she felt the bed move again.

"Addison." He answered earning a groan from her. He intertwined their legs again as he wrapped his arm around her waist. "Go back to sleep, Mer." She smiled and moved closer to his chest.

--

They woke up two hours later, at four o'clock. Meredith went to take a shower, and somehow Mark ended up in there as well. Afterward, she got blow-dried her hair and got dressed. Mark was watching TV when she finished getting dressed in jeans and a tank top. They were going to get some hamburgers at a place they had seen right off the beach. Though, neither overly wanted them to, they knew that Derek and Addison would be tagging along.

"Ready?" He asked as he turned off the TV and threw the remote on the bed.

"Yep." She smiled. Before she was able to walked out the door, he wrapped his arms around her, his hands were in the back pockets of her jeans, and his lips were on hers. She openly accepted his kiss and wrapped his arms around his neck. They didn't break apart until a knock came out the door. Letting out a sigh, they pulled away and Mark went to answer the door while Meredith went to check her appearance in the bathroom once more.

"Hey." Derek greeted him. "Addi wanted to see about dinner."

"We were about to ask you that same thing."

"You got a little… Is that lip gloss on your lips?" Derek asked giving him a funny look as he studied his face. From the bathroom, Meredith irrupted in laughter causing Derek to chuckle as well.

"What?" He scrunched up his nose and move to the mirror. Yes, indeed, there was lip gloss on his bottom lip. He couldn't help but blush as he hurriedly whipped it away. Clearing his throat, he moved back over to Derek again. "We were planning on going to that hamburger place right off the beach."

"Sounds good." He was obviously holding back some more laughter. "I'll let Addi know." Unable to help himself, he burst into laughter earning a glare from Mark.

"Out." He said and pointed to the door.

"Sorry, dude. It's just…" Mark pushed him out of the room and shut the door. Shaking his head, he walked to the bathroom and wrapped his arms around her waist as she smoothed her lip gloss.

"Want any?" She joked holding out the tube.

"Very funny." He playfully glared at her through the mirror.

"I thought so." She laughed as she leaned back against his chest. His lips found her neck and trailed down her collarbone to her bare shoulder. "We have to go."

"I can think of more fun things to do." He whispered.

"Come on. Addison is waiting and will come knock on the door in thirty seconds. Besides, you never should start what you can't finish."

"Fine." He grumbled and took her hand. She smiled at him and turned off the bathroom light. He held the door open for her and shut it behind him. Addison and Derek were coming out at the same time they were. After everyone agreed on where to go, they headed down the hall. And somehow, Addison ended up between Meredith and Mark the whole time.


	20. Define Us

_A week later…_

The past week had been full of sleepless nights and late mornings. Ten days into their two week vacation, Meredith finally was able to relax. Addison didn't seem all that happy with Meredith and Mark's quickly developing relationship. And she still wasn't. But she had confronted neither Meredith nor Mark about it if for no other reason than because they hadn't directly told them that there was a relationship. So she bit her tongue.

"Meredith." He whispered dragging her lips softly along her jaw line.

"Hmm?" She asked as his lips traveled down her neck to her collarbone. A smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

"We have to get up."

She groaned. "I don't want to."

"Addison…"

Sighing, she rolled on her back. With a hand on each side of her body, he hovered over her. "I remember." She wrapped her arms around his neck as he dipped down and kissed her.

---

They impatiently waited for Derek and Addison who were taking longer than either wanted to be waiting. Every few moments, Meredith yawned sleepily even though it was already after ten-thirty, but after all she had a late night. Glancing at her watch, she sighed. "She said ten forty-five right?" Mark nodded in confirmation. "Ugh, does she not realize I'm tired?"

"We did go to be at ten last night, Babe." Mark reminded then threw her a knowing smirk. Giggling she rolled her eyes. They might have told Addison and Derek 'goodnight' and disappeared into their room at ten, but they didn't fall asleep until well after one in the morning. No, they weren't having sex the whole time. They had talked for a little while before the sex came.

"Sorry we're late." Addison said biting her obviously swollen lips and running her hand through her slightly messy red hair.

"Seriously. You're late cause you needed to make out?" Meredith wanted to say. But she didn't have to since Mark beat her to the punch. Stifling a giggle, Meredith looked away. Addison glared at him as a blush worked her way up her cheeks.

"Let's just go. We have to go now if we want to make our reservation." Derek said ushering them out the door. Two taxis were waiting out front for them when they walked out.

"Meredith and I can ride together." Mark offered before quickly adding. "Just in case you guys weren't finished."

Glaring at him, Addison shook her head. "No, Derek wanted to talk to you about something, Mark."

"I did?" Derek said and Addison nudged him. "I guess I did."

"Fine, whatever." Meredith mumbled and got in the car.

--

"What you want to talk to me about, Shep?" Mark asked after a few moments of silence hung in the air.

"I don't know." Derek chuckled lightly.

"So that was a… diversion so I wouldn't ride with Meredith?" Mark asked raising an eyebrow.

"Though I don't know why she cares, Addi is a little sensitive to the subject." Derek said carefully. "Maybe you should straight out tell her."

"There isn't anything to tell." He shrugged. "Besides it's not her business."

"She doesn't see it that way."

"That's her problem. What I do with Meredith is my business."

Silence fell between the two men until Derek sighed and looked over at him. "How serious is it between you and Meredith?"

Mark hesitated. He wasn't sure. They were having sex and lots of it. They slept together cuddled close in the full size bed. They made out all the time and did "couple-like" things together. But he wasn't sure how serious this was. He had only met her a couple weeks ago. And, sure, he was physically attracted to her. But beyond a good screw, he wasn't looking for anything especially not with one of his best friend's estranged step-sister. But now, everything seemed different like overnight it changed. He felt like he could just watch a movie with her curled up under his arm and fall asleep with her legs intertwined in his and his arms around her small waist. "I don't know." He sighed. Derek got a goofy smile on his face as he stared at his best friend. "What?"

"You're falling for her."

"Mark Sloan doesn't fall for girls." He scoffed.

"Whatever you say, Sloan."

----

"What's going on between you and Mark?" Addison asked after a few minutes.

"What?"

"What is going on between you and Mark?"

"Nothing." She shrugged and looked out the window.

"I'm not stupid, Meredith."

"Jury's still out on that one." Meredith mumbled.

"Just…" She sighed. "Tell me. Are you guys… doing it?"

"Could you sound more fourth grade?" Meredith snapped and turned to look at her. "What's going on between me and Mark is none of your business."

"You're my step-sister. And he's my best friend."

Meredith rolled her eyes and looked out the window. "Just stay out of my life. It's what you're good at."

----

Being the gentleman he was, he allowed Meredith to sit down first. She smiled at him and sat down in the booth. But before he could sit down beside her, Addison plopped down at the end of the bench. Simultaneously, Meredith and Mark rolled their eyes. Derek stared at his girlfriend and furrowed his eyebrows. She either ignored him or didn't notice. Sighing, Derek allowed Mark to slide in so he was at least across from Meredith before sitting down across from Addison.

They sat in silence until the waitress, a tiny flirty girl that made both Meredith and Addison roll their eyes when she shamelessly flirted with Derek and Mark, came over and took their orders. When she finally bounced off, Meredith let out a sigh and sipped the glass of water the waitress poured for her.

"So, guys?" Addison started out breaking the silence that hung in the air between the four.

"So Addi?" Mark playfully mocked as he played with the paper wrapper of a straw. Silence lingered between them for a few moments. Addison let out a sigh and looked between her stepsister and best friend. Their eyes were locked and small smiles played their lips. Derek followed her gaze and smirked. Mark seemed happy to be having a relationship or whatever they were calling it with Meredith. And if Mark was happy then he was happy regardless of how much Addison thought it was some tragedy. He didn't even know why his girlfriend was so sure that them dating would be the end of the world. Sure they did go on vacation for one last big blowout before Mark went to California and Addison and Derek went to New Hampshire. But this is what Mark wanted to do; he wasn't going to give him a hard time about it.

"Where are you going to college, Meredith?" Derek asked casually asked. Meredith broke out of her trance and glanced over at Derek.

"Stanford." She answered.

"Really?" She nodded. "Mark is going to University of California."

Meredith nodded and looked over at Mark with a small smile. Derek looked at Addison and raised his eyebrow when she sighed and looked away.

----

After breakfast, they walked outside into the warm damp air. Meredith instantly walked towards Mark leading him to the second cab hoping to make it in before Addison could intervene again. Smirking, Mark happily followed and opened the door for her. She smiled at him and slid in.

"See you back at the hotel guys." Mark called and climbed into the cab. Addison opened her mouth to protest but Mark already closed the door.

"It won't be that bad."

"What?"

"Riding with me." Derek smirked and wrapped an arm around her shoulders leading her to the other cab.

---

"I have a feeling Addi is jealous." Meredith said with amusement laced within her voice.

Mark smirked and shrugged it off as he unbuttoned his shirt. "She just wants this vacation to be about the three of us."

She sighed heavily and sat down on the bed. He mockingly did the same thing.

"I think she's suspicious."

"Really?" Mark said sarcastically. Meredith glared at him. "What do you care?"

"I don't want to be the thing to come between you guys."

"We can tell her you know." He said moving to the bed she was sitting on.

"But…" She sighed and shook her head. "Never mind." She lied down and rolled onto her side so her back was to him.

"What?" He asked as he looked at her.

"Nothing." She mumbled.

"What is it?"

Sighing, she rolled onto her back to look at him. "What are we doing here?"


	21. Breaking The News

He was struck by a question and had no answer. Staring at her, he kind of hope she'd elaborate. She stared at the ceiling debating what to say.

"Are we dating? Or just having fun? Or what?" She asked only glancing at him for a brief second. Honestly, she was afraid to hear the answers. Did he have feelings for her like she did him? Or was this a meaningless game. They stayed silent for a long time to the point she was about to accept that as the answer. Just as she was about to roll on her side and give him the cold shoulder for the rest of the night. He leaned down and kissed her hard on the lips.

When he pulled back, he gave her a small smile. "I think I'm falling for you." He said quietly. A smile worked its way onto her lips as she rolled on top of him.

"What a coincidence…" She kissed his chest. "I think I'm falling for you too."

--

After a couple hours of not hearing anything out of Mark or Meredith, Addison walked to their room and knocked, waited for a few moments, then knocked again. Annoyed by how long it was taking them, she knocked once more before the door was yanked open.

"What is it, Addi?" He groaned. She looked at him. He was wearing nothing but a towel and his hair was still damp and messed up like he had been running his hands through it.

"Where have you guys been?" She asked looking into the room. To her dismay, clothes were scattered on the floor. "And what have you been doing?"

He rolled his eyes as she pushed past him and walked into the room. She could hear the shower running in that bathroom and looked at him shocked. "Addi, I'll be out in a minute. Can you at least wait until I get dressed?"

"I know something is up, and I want to know what right this second." She said firmly.

"You're screwing her, aren't you?" She said coldly. When he said nothing, she had her answer. "What the hell is wrong with you, Mark? She's my step-sister, for Christ sake!"

"What the hell is wrong with that? Meredith is amazing."

"I don't want to know how good my sister is in bed, Mark. You betrayed me."

"I betrayed you!?" He yelled. "I didn't do anything wrong. And I sure as hell am not apologizing for my relationship with Meredith."

"She's Meredith Grey. Do you know how damaged she is? You are doing neither of yourself a favor by sleeping together."

"Don't you think we should be the judge of that?"

"What the hell are you trying to prove by sleeping with her?"

"What the hell is your fucking problem!?" Meredith yelled as she emerged from the bathroom wearing her bra and jeans. "Because I have no fucking idea. Are you just that damn ashamed of me? Am I not good enough for Mark?"

"I didn't say that." Addison argued.

"Stop patronizing me. Stop thinking that I can't take care of myself. I've never needed your help, and I sure as hell don't need it now."

"I don't want to see you get hurt. I am so freaking sorry about that."

"Now you care about what the hell goes on in my life? Now that I have boobs and blonde hair. Now that you can be seen in public with me and people won't go 'what the hell is wrong with them?' I'm done with listening to you criticize me because I'm just not as perfect as you or whatever the hell you bitch about. I'm tired of you trying to poke your nose where it doesn't belong. And that includes in my relationship with Mark."

Addison looked at Mark hoping he'd say something to refute what Meredith had just said. But he didn't say anything. He just stared at her. For a second they stared at each other until she walked out of the room. After the door slammed, Meredith let out a deep sigh and pinched the bridge of her nose. Mark instantly engulfed her in his arms and her head fell against his bare chest. It felt good to be in his arms and for a long time, she didn't move out of them.

--

He hadn't spoken to anyone other Meredith for a few hours. Once she fell asleep, he slipped on pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt, wrote a note in case he woke up, and left the room. He found himself in the lobby Starbucks surprised to see Addison there. She was wearing some black sweats and a Dartmouth sweatshirt. Her hair wasn't perfectly in place as it usually was which wasn't a good sign.

"Hey." He sighed standing behind her in line.

She jumped surprised herself to see him there. "Hey." She replied quietly.

"What are you doing here?"

"Couldn't sleep, you?"

"Same." He sighed and stepped up beside her to give the guy at the counter their orders then paid. They were silent until they got their coffee and found a table.

"Why are you… sleeping with her Mark?" She asked carefully.

"Because I like her." He answered simply.

"We've been friends for a long time. Why would you risk that by sleeping with her? You know I wouldn't want you to."

He swallowed hard unsure what to say. "For some people, it's worth risking it all…" She looked shocked but said nothing. "Look, Addi, I don't want to lose you. You're my best friend. But Meredith… she's amazing."

"You really like her?"

"I'm falling in love with her."

Tears welled in her eyes. She didn't want to lose Mark, but she knew she already had. It was always going to be either her or Meredith. And he had unknowingly chosen his side. She forced a smile hoping he wouldn't noticed the tears in her eyes. But by the smile on his lips and the joy in his eyes, something told her he wasn't going to be noticing much of anything about her now that he was thinking of Meredith.

"Maybe you could still fix you guys." Mark said quietly.

Addison gave him a sad smile. "Our relationship had been far past repair for a long time, way before this trip, way before you and her."


	22. Something Unexpected

The last three days of vacation came and ended quickly. Meredith and Addison were talking only limitedly, but Meredith and Mark were having a good time finally being able to hold hands and kiss in public. Addison didn't seem to like it, but both were too caught up in each other to really notice. On the plane ride home, they slept most of the way. Her head rested on his chest, and his arm draped of her body. When she awoke after a few hours of surprisingly good sleep, she noticed Addison stealing glances over her shoulder at them. Without paying much attention, she burrowed herself back into Mark's warmth and tried to get a little bit more sleep. But after a half an hour, a flight attendant came through and woke them all instructing them to put on their seat belts and the pilot came on the speaker to inform them they'd be landing soon.

"I can't believe two weeks is over." She yawned as she stretched her back.

"Yeah." Mark sleepily replied.

Sighing, she looked over at Addison. She was leaning against Derek lost in her own thoughts. Maybe she could change. She had taken the Mark thing okay after she managed to cool down. No, she wasn't happy about it. But maybe as years went on they could be civil with each other when they came back from college for Christmas or whatever. She didn't ponder the thought too long as Mark pulled her closer to him and replacing his arm around her slender body. She smiled but at him placing a kiss on his cheek before settling her head back against his shoulder. In a moment, they descended from air and were on the ground within minutes. Eventually, the people closer to the front began shuffling off the plane. Mark stood first followed by Derek. Both guys got the carry-on bags and led the way with Meredith and Addison in tow. Once they got safely into the airport, they set off to find baggage claim. Meredith interlocked her fingers with Mark as they got on the escalator. He smiled at her but said nothing. After collecting their bags, they headed back upstairs and outside to hail a couple taxis since Meredith would be riding with Addison back to their parents' house and Mark and Derek would be riding together to their respective houses to see their families.

"I guess I'll call you later." Meredith said standing in front of Mark.

"Yeah." Dipping his head, he planted a kiss on her lips. "I'll see you later."

She smiled and nodded.

"Are you coming?" Addison called already sitting in the back of a taxi. Nodding, she allowed the taxi driver to put her bags in the back and slide into the seat beside Addison. She waved at Mark once more before shutting the door. "What a vacation." Addison mumbled and watched out the window at the cab started to pull away from the curb. Sighing, Meredith laid her head against the window and watched too.

The cab ride was silent and when they pulled up in front of the house, they got out without a word to each other. The driver was helping them get their bags when the front door opened and Sarah bolted out. Meredith smiled excited to see her little sister, but her face grew worried when she noticed she was sobbing. Her face was red. Her eyes were swollen. Her shoulders were shaking uncontrollable.

"Oh my god, what's wrong?" She quickly said as Sarah almost toppled her over as she wrapped her arms around her.

"Mom… Dad…" She managed to get out between loud sobs. Addison walked over just as concerned at Meredith and knelt down trying to understand when her sister was trying to say. Sarah and Meredith had always been closer, so it wasn't a surprised when she continued to clutch to Meredith like a lifeline.

"What's wrong, Sarah?"

"They're getting a divorce." She finally managed to say.

Meredith and Addison looked at each other equally shocked. Standing up, Addison pulled out the money for the cab, handed it to the driver, and quickly gathered her luggage. Meredith grabbed her suitcase with one arm still rubbing Sarah's back with the other hand.

"Come on, Sarah. Let's go inside." She said quietly and led her sister into the house.

The house was silent when they walked in. Addison left her luggage beside the stairs and walked into the living room. Meredith set her things down and led Sarah into the living room as well. Addison looked over at Meredith with confusion in her eyes. Nobody had expected this. Sighing quietly, Meredith handed her younger sister off to Addison. Sarah hesitantly hugged her other sister and sobbed against her stomach. Addison tried her best to comfort her, but she didn't know what was going on so how could she? They heard the water turn on in the other room. Giving Addison a quick look, Meredith walked into the kitchen. Ellis was washing the dishes at the sink as if it were any other day.

"Mom." Meredith said with the uncertainty in her voice showing through.

"Oh, Meredith you're back. Good." Ellis said with a slight smile.

"What's going on?"

"What do you mean?"

"Sarah is in there sobbing because you're getting a divorce?" Sighing, Ellis nodded drying her hands on the towel that sat nearby. When she didn't offer an immediate explanation, Meredith questioned her further. "Care to tell me why?"

Ellis let out another reproachful sigh. "We had a fight…"

"Okay." Meredith urged her forward with uncertainty in her voice.

"We were discussion if we should move. Jonathon wanted to move to New Hampshire to be closer to Addison in case she needed you. I wanted to move out west. You'd be there, and an old friend made me a great job offer when I mention you'd be on the west coast. He refused to be that far away from Addison. So… we got into a fight. In the end, we realized we… wanted different things."

"Mom, that's crazy. You can't get a divorce after one little fight."

"Our marriage has been going downhill for a long time, Meredith."

"Why now?"

"Because…" She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Because you're my daughter and for a long time he turned me against you. I realize that, I really do." She sighed. "Besides, things change and people change."

"What about Sarah?"

"When I move out to Seattle, she will come with me."

"What about Jonathon and her relationship?"

"He'll still be involved in her life. He'll fly out to see her. She'll fly out to see him. It's not ideal but it can work. For right now, it's for the best."


	23. Goodbye

The entire house was silent. Addison had fought with her father some about coming up with a compromise to keep Ellis and Sarah closer to them, but it didn't help in the slightest. She ended up leaving for Derek's leaving Meredith to soothe their baby sister. Eventually, Sarah stopped cry and drifted off to sleep in Meredith's be not long after Ellis and Jonathon both went off their respective works.

Meredith was in the kitchen when the doorbell rang. Silently cursing hoping her sister wouldn't awake, she hurried across the living room to the front door. She glanced out the side window and smiled when she saw Mark.

"Miss me already?" She asked as she opened the door.

"Duh." He said.

"Come on in." He stepped in and stopped right in front of her. Placing his fingers under her chin, he tilted her head to look up at him. He pushed his lips against her willing ones. Her arms wrapped around his neck as she got on her tiptoes to deepen the kiss. He held her close within his muscular arms. When they pulled back, she fell back onto her heels but didn't move from her arms. "I heard. Are you okay?"

She nodded. "I was never close to Jonathon or Addison, obviously, but I just wish Sarah wasn't stuck in the middle. When my mother divorced my father, I never saw him again. Sure he was a son of a bitch, but I don't want her to have to live without a father."

"It'll be okay, Mer."

She smiled lightly. "Thank you, Mark."

He leaned down and kissed her again. "I love you, Mer." He mumbled so quietly she almost didn't hear him.

"I love you too, Mark." She didn't even have to think about how to respond. The words just flowed from her mouth so naturally. He kissed her again.

--

A week passed. Tensions were still high around the house. Nobody spoke about the upcoming separation or Sarah's and Ellis's move to the other side of the county. Addison was excited for college and spent a lot of time with Derek preparing for the move to New Hampshire. Mark was always with Meredith. They had already planned out what they were doing once they were out in California. She'd go to Stanford. He'd go to USC. And every other weekend or so, they'd go visit each other. It'd be hard but worth it.

Today, Meredith and Mark were getting on a plane and flying out to California. Mark would spend two days with her at Stanford before going down to USC.

"You'll come up to Seattle and see us?" Sarah asked sadness dripping from her voice. They were at the airport saying their goodbyes.

"Of course." Meredith said hugging her sister. "Everything is going to be okay, alright?"

Sarah nodded. "I'll miss you, Mer."

"I'll be coming to visit in no time." She promised kissing her head before stepping out of her embrace. Ellis pulled her into her arms, which surprised her.

"Please, call us when you get there." She mumbled.

"Alright, Mom. I will." She promised.

"I love you, Meredith." There sincerity in her eyes was genuine.

"We'll fix this, Mom. It'll just take some time." She whispered.

Ellis nodded and stepped away from her eldest daughter. Meredith looked over at Mark who was saying goodbye to Addison and Derek.

"I guess this is it." He said to them.

"Call us." Addison instructed as tears rolled off her cheeks. "Every week."

"I will, Addi." Mark promised as he hugged her.

"We're really going to miss you, Mark."

"I'll miss you guys too." He pulled away and looked at Derek giving him a 'manly' hug. "See you around, Man."

"Don't go and do anything stupid." Derek told him.

"Mer will keep me in line." He said with a proud grin. Addison looked visibly pained by the sentiment.

"Just don't screw it up."

"I won't. I'm done with that shit."

"Good. See you next time you come to New York."

Nodding, Mark stepped away. "I'll be right back. I have to pee."

He walked away. Sighing, Meredith walked over to the couple. "I guess this is it." She said staring at the ground.

"Yeah, I guess it is." Addison said quietly. "Take care of him. He needs looking after some times."

Meredith smiled at her. "I will."

Addison sniffled. "You think it would have ever been different between us?"

"I don't know. Maybe someday."

Addison smiled sadly. "If only we weren't so damn stubborn."

Laughing light, Meredith nodded. "If only."

"I'm really happy things turned out well for you, Meredith."

"You too, Addison. Good luck with college and med school." She knew deep down that she and Addison wouldn't get in contact again. She'd maybe see her once when Jonathon and she came to see Sarah if she happened to be in Seattle. But this was the end. They wouldn't be forcibly bound together by 'sisterhood.' Even when they had, they were no good at it. They were too different, and they had too much damage to fix their relationship now. The only thing that would ever link them together now was Sarah, Mark, and a past.

"You too, Meredith." She said quietly. She knew it too. And part of her was regretful she'd never been a better. If she had, what would have become of her family? It's doubtful she would have acted out against them and been sent to California. They probably would have been friends, and Ellis wouldn't have been able to find a reason for a divorce.

"We have to go, Mer." Mark said quietly. She looked over her shoulder at him and nodded. She looked around at her broken, dysfunctional family and sighed. It was her fault that things had fallen apart. Mark wrapped his arm around her, and she leaned into his side.

"See you guys later." She said. It was an empty promise to anyone but Sarah and Ellis.

"I'll see you guys at Christmas." He told Derek and Addison. Who knew if he would or not? Somewhere deep down, he knew he had chosen Meredith over their friendship. He just didn't want to believe it was the end.

They all said their goodbyes before Mark led Meredith towards the airplane gate. She looked over her shoulder to see her divided 'family' and sighed.

**--**

_**Don't worry; I'm not ending the story here!! I wouldn't be so cruel! **_


	24. Fifteen Years

_**I know, I know, I'm an evil, evil bad person. I know! I feel beyond bad that it's been so long. I've just been so hung up with other things, and, now, it's the end of the school year, so I have projects to do and finals to take. It's been madness these last few months. And honestly, I've been having some terrible writer's black. Still none of this isn't a good excuse as to why I haven't been around at all in these last few months, but please know that I am VERY, VERY sorry. I want to update more of my stories, but, now, I have to hurry and go study for another final. I probably won't get anything else in until next week because this weekend is going to be super crazy too. If I can get away from it for a few minutes, though, I'll try to get another one in. **_

_**If I still have readers, I love you all! Thank you so much for sticking with me. **_

_**--**_

_Fifteen years later…_

"We have to get up if you want to be on time." He whispered into her ear. She groaned and cuddled closer to him hiding her face in his bare chest. She almost shivered as his arms moved up and down her bare back. "It won't be so bad."

"I'd much rather stay here." She mumbled into his chest before placing a persuading kiss on his chest. He almost caved until his phone let out a shrill of a ring making him reluctantly pull away to answer it. She rolled onto her back cursing under her breath about interruptions. He got engrossed in a conversation with another doctor, from what she could tell, so she gave up on delaying them any longer and got out of bed. She walked to the bathroom and sighed heavily looking in the mirror at her naked form. Her baby bump was still small since she only hit five months last week. Her figure had hardly changed other than her growing stomach. She still possessed perfect curves and a slim figure. She ran her fingers through her long sandy hair trying to detangle a few of the knots that had come about after her and her husband's mid-day activities earlier that evening. Her hormones had been out of whack all day, and he was perfectly fine with helping her find release.

She shook the dirty thoughts from her head and turned to start the shower. She'd have to be quick if she hoped they'd get out of the house at any decent time. She didn't have a problem with arrive late, but she figured her boss would. She took a quick shower and was out within ten minutes before going to work on her hair. Her hair had always been fairly manageable, so it didn't take too long to get it dry and curled in loose curls down her back.

She was just finishing her make-up when the door opened. Her husband slipped in already naked. She gawked at him in the mirror as he smirked back. Fifteen years had passed, and she still never got tired of admiring him. She sighed and looked down at the make-up she still held in her hand before she got tempted to start the entire process over. This made him laugh as he stepped in, which only made her huff in annoyance. After that, she finished quickly and headed out to finish getting ready.

The black dress she was planning on wearing was hanging up in the front of her closet. It fell to the floor with a slip up the side that hugged her chest close and flowed over her small bump. She put it on and slipped in a pair of diamond dangle earrings.

"Babe, we're going to be late if you don't hurry up." She called after the shower cut off. He emerged a minute later with a towel around his waist starting the dirty thoughts all over again.

"I'll only be a minute." He told her with a smirk.

She sat on the bed and put on her black, strappy heels as he headed to the closet to get changed. Just as he promised, he emerged a few minutes later in a pair of black pants and a dark blue button down that clung to his chest in the most amazing of ways. "Ready to go?" She asked as she stood again.

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. When he pulled back, he smirked at her. "You're beautiful."

"Thank you."

"Come on, we're late."

--

They got to the hospital that they had been working at since they graduated medical school after fifteen minutes. With intertwined hands, they headed in. They found the convention hall where the mixer was being held. Most of their coworkers stood around talking to one another with drinks in hand. Some were already drunkenly swaying from side to side as they attempted to walk across the room. He pulled her towards where Richard, the chief of medicine, was standing. He was talking to a redhead with her back to them that she had never seen around the hospital before, but she didn't pay much attention to her as they approached. Richard noticed them as the redhead talked about something and smiled. The redhead seemed to have noticed and stopped talking for a second.

"Ah, Dr. Grey, Dr. Sloan, nice of you to join us." Richard said.

"Yeah, sorry about that, Chief." Meredith replied with an innocent smile. She noticed her husband gaping at the redhead and was about to throw a fit when she caught a glimpse of the awestruck woman out of the corner of her eye. She turned to face her fully and allowed her jaw to drop in the slightest.

"Meredith, Mark this is…"

"Addison." Meredith breathed out as she stared in shock at her former step-sister.

"Hello, Meredith, Mark."

"I take it you know each other." Richard murmured before walking away.

"Wow, it's a surprise to see you here, Addi." Mark said.

"I didn't expect to see you all here either." Her eyes trailed down to Meredith's stomach and their intertwined hands. "Or together. When did all this happen?"

"We got married seven years ago, right before our internship." Meredith answered.

"How far along are you?" Addison asked.

"Five months."

"Wow." She sighed. "This is all just so… shocking."

There was a long awkward silence hanging between them. What were you supposed to say to you former step-sister, who you used to resent with so much passion? Especially now that you're married to their former-best friend and expecting a baby in four short months? And you haven't spoken to said former-step sister in fifteen years, whom also your husband, the former-best friend, hasn't spoke to since they lost touch during their sophomore year of college, over thirteen years ago? Yeah, this could be a little awkward.

"So, um, how have you been?" Mark said awkwardly.

"Um… Great." Her voice was full of false cheerfulness that nobody pointed out but everyone acknowledged.

"Good, good." He said, adverting his eyes around the room.

"We should catch up sometime. I have to leave right now. You know, big first day tomorrow. But I'll see you guys tomorrow. Maybe we'll grab dinner?" Addison said.

"Yeah, Addison… They'd be great." Meredith said uncomfortably.

"Great." She smiled. "See you guys tomorrow."


End file.
